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Accessory Review

Velocity Matrix Laptop Backpack

ATPM has been host to a considerable number of backpack reviews authored
by people who have described pretty clear opinions about what they
want—and what they don’t want—in a backpack. I, on the other hand, have
absolutely no aficionado tendencies where backpacks are concerned. What
I know is that every backpack I’ve considered purchasing that was
designed to accommodate a laptop computer seemed to either be too small
to accommodate all the items I wanted to bring, or so large that it
might be mistaken for a pack you’d use on a multi-day, backwoods hiking
trip.

The Slappa Velocity Matrix backpack.

When the Slappa Velocity Matrix appeared on the ATPM review items radar,
I remembered that I had seen another write-up about it. It finally
seemed to be the backpack I wanted—one that would hold about the same
amount as my tried-and-true laptop case, yet not be so cavernous that
everything simply fell into a pile at the bottom of the bag.

This laptop case has served me very well for many years, but I’m
finally ready for something that can hold just as much and also be
hands-free when I’m on the go.

If you’ve been reading ATPM for a while, you might remember my review of
the Incase Sling Pack.
While I do still periodically use the Sling Pack, my need to carry more
than what it can hold tends to leave it on the sidelines while my “big
bag” makes the journey yet again.

The Sling Pack’s left shoulder-only design was my favorite attribute
because of a shoulder injury that prevented me from carrying much weight
on my right shoulder for very long. Five years later, the shoulder is
much better, and I can use standard backpacks.

Without taking literal measurements, the Velocity Matrix appears to have
no more capacity—and possibly a little less—than my old travel case. But
appearances, say it with me, can be deceiving. Without looking or
feeling like an enormous backpack, the Velocity Matrix is extremely
spacious. This backpack quite happily accepted every last item that I
transferred from my travel case. When I had finished, the Velocity
Matrix was, astonishingly, carrying the following:

collapsible Frisbee (gotta have some something to toss around once in a while, right?)

The fully loaded backpack.

Wow! All of this really did go into the bag, and there was room to
spare! In fact, as the Slappa promotional shots indicate, I could
easily accommodate two laptops in this bag and probably would only have
to rearrange a few of the above list of items without removing any. So
the Velocity Matrix clearly had at least as much, if not more, capacity
as my travel case. Since there’s a well-stitched handle on the top of
the backpack, there’s an extremely good chance it will permanently
replace the case.

The handle feels well-stitched and comfortable.

You might be thinking that with all of those items tucked away in the
backpack, the thing must be wicked heavy and/or uncomfortable to wear.
You’d be thinking wrong. Notice that the laptop is the only thing in
that list of any considerable weight, and only things that weigh a
fraction of the laptop’s weight comprise the runners-up for heaviest
items—such as the iPod, the Leatherman, the AirPort Express, and the two
power adapters.

As for comfort, my only initial concern doesn’t seem to be a concern at
all. I was worried about the design of the shoulder straps, specifically
where they connect at the top. That connection runs from one shoulder to
the other, just below your neck, and I had the impression that its edge
would press into the base of my neck.

The upper portion of the shoulder straps.

What this piece actually does is spread the weight out a little bit so
that instead of resting entirely on your shoulders, a little bit of the
weight goes across your upper back.

This flap of material, rather than digging into your neck, actually
distributes and cushions the weight.

The straps themselves are curved inward, a more ergonomic design that
helps keep the backpack securely in place. However, this inward curve
may not be entirely agreeable with some women.

Inward-curved straps may help secure the backpack while wearing it,
but may have been designed only for males.

Maybe I’m just too accustomed to the travel case and too inexperienced
with backpacks (I never used backpacks in school, opting for tote bags
instead), but I somewhat wished the sides of the Velocity Matrix were
stiffer so that it would stand up a little better on its own. When I
open it to get things in or out, it sort of collapses on itself a bit
unless I lean it against something. The front zip-open compartments also
just completely flops around when it is completely open, though this
might be a benefit when placing an odd-sized object in that space. This,
however, is just my observation and may be typical of this style of
backpack.

The “floppy” front compartment cover.

Immediately apparent when I first received the Velocity Matrix was that
the material used on the exterior is tough, even if it does collapse on
itself as mentioned above. Slappa describes it as “thick rubber
exoskeleton plus hydro-repellant and puncture-proof BuckBlast suede.” I
can vouch for the weather-repellant properties of the material, but I’m
not sure I’m ready to start poking it with a sharp object.

Inside almost every compartment, virtually every inch is covered in soft
material that won’t leave you worrying about the contents getting
scratched.

The zippers include a piece of material stitched over the ends. This
material keeps the ends from snagging on anything and allows the
zipper handles to be tucked into place.

The primary compartment for a laptop uses this soft material wrapped
around a stiffer material that cocoons your computer. Its size can
easily accommodate a 17″ MacBook Pro. As for my 15″ laptop, I may
consider purchasing a sleeve of some sort—not because I feel the extra
padding is needed, but just to not have the computer riding loose in a
compartment that is so much larger.

I was very pleased with the laptop compartment, except for the cover
flap which seemed a bit oversized. When open, the hook-and-loop
fastener patch on the flap has a tendency to stick to other parts of
the interior lining.

The compartment on the back side of the Velocity Matrix that rests
against your back is lined with a soft, smooth, plastic-like material.
Slappa calls it a “Stay Cool” material intended for keeping liquids from
getting warm. This particular compartment may not, however, be where
you’d want to store a water bottle.

Another compartment, located directly in front of the one that holds a
laptop, seems ideally suited for placing a few books, making the
Velocity Matrix a good backpack for students.

The back of the case sports a thick-padded Slappa hand logo. In spite of
the unwieldy shape, it’s a comfortable pad you can wear against your
back for long periods of time.

On the bottom, two hard plastic strips offer some protection against
scuffing the BuckBlast suede material that comprises most of the
backpack’s exterior when you set it down.

Hard plastic strips reinforce the bottom of the Velocity Matrix.

One last little perk is the inclusion of a pouch with a metal clip
designed to attach to nylon strips on the backpack’s front straps. This
pouch can carry an iPod, a phone, or any small device to which you’d
want quick access.

The clip-on device pouch.

The pouch shown attached to the shoulder strap.

Unfortunately, its design seems suited only to giving an easily
accessible storage location for such devices. It’s not terribly
conducive to actually using a device when it is still inside the pouch
since you’d have to completely remove it to access any button controls.
Likewise, there’s really no good way to have a headphone cable attached
to an iPod that’s riding inside the pouch.

Finally, on the Velocity Matrix’s overall aesthetics, I’m a bit on the
fence. The overall shape and black color are great, but I’m not sure on
the pattern of the white stitching surrounding the exoskeleton rubber.
But everyone’s tastes are different. I’m sure there are some who think
the pattern looks great.

Since I can see this backpack permanently replacing my old travel case,
I obviously must like the design of the exterior pattern well enough.
But what I like most is its ability to hold the above list of items,
plus have room for additional gadgets in the future, while keeping my
hands free and not feeling as though I’m carrying something the size of
a duffel bag. Slappa has several choices in tote bags, as well, if a
backpack doesn’t suit you. But, if you’re looking for color choices,
you’ll have to search elsewhere. Slappa only makes computer cases in
black, with dark grey accents on some models.

Cheers, for that been looking for a new laptop bag for a while, the only problem i can see is I use a 12" laptop so might be a bit loose, I barely notice it sometimes in my current bag, Will see if I can have a look at it before I decide to purchase.

Hi, I'm looking into buying the bag. How much have you used it since the review, and how has it held up to the test of time? I always worry about the straps on backpacks as theyre usually the first thing to go.

Ben - I've continued using this bag for every excursion I've taken since last year, but have to confess that I haven't been on a heavy number of trips where I took my laptop with me. Maybe approaching a dozen. So far, my impression is that the straps are extremely durable and will hold up well. Mine's not showing any obvious signs of decay. However, I would much prefer to defer this answer to someone who uses the bag on a weekly, or even daily, basis.

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